Competition, markups, and predictable returns
Journal
Review of Financial Studies
Subject
Finance
Publishing details
Authors / Editors
Corhay A;Kung H;Schmid L
Biographies
Publication Year
2020
Abstract
This paper jointly examines the link between competition and expected returns in the time series and in the cross-section. To this end, we build a general equilibrium model where markups vary because of firm entry with oligopolistic competition. When concentration is high, markups are more sensitive to entry risk. We find that higher markups are associated with higher expected returns over time and across industries, in line with the data. The model can also quantitatively account for the persistent rise in aggregate risk premiums and macroeconomic volatility associated with the secular increase trend industry concentration since the mid-1980s.
Available on ECCH
No